OUTLINE: This is a randomized, multicenter study for approved centers in India only. All patients receive induction therapy and then are randomized to one of two treatment arms. Patients assigned to arm I receive high dose cytarabine and no cranial radiation and patients assigned to arm II receive cranial radiation and no high dose cytarabine. Induction 1: Patients receive vincristine IV on days 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29, oral prednisone on days 1-28, triple intrathecal therapy (methotrexate, hydrocortisone, and cytarabine; TIT) on days 1, 8, 15, and 22, asparaginase IM every other day on days 2-20, and daunorubicin IV on days 8, 15, and 29. Patients who achieve remission proceed to randomization. Arm I: Induction 2: Patients receive oral mercaptopurine daily on days 1-7 and 22-28, cytarabine IV over 3 hours every 12 hours for 4 doses on days 1-2 and 22-23, cyclophosphamide IV on days 1 and 22, and TIT on days 8 and 29. Induction 1 is repeated, then patients proceed to consolidation when blood counts have recovered sufficiently. Consolidation: Induction 2 is repeated, then patients proceed to maintenance when blood counts have recovered sufficiently. Maintenance 1: Patients receive vincristine IV and daunorubicin IV on day 1; oral prednisone on days 1-7; asparaginase IM on days 1, 3, 5, and 7; oral methotrexate once a week beginning on day 15 and skipping every 4th week, for a total of 12 weeks; oral mercaptopurine beginning on day 15 for 3 weeks out of 4, for a total of 12 weeks; and TIT on days 1 and 36. Maintenance 2: Patients receive cytarabine IV over 3 hours every 12 hours for 4 doses on days 1-2, cyclophosphamide IV over 30 minutes on day 1, and methotrexate, mercaptopurine, and TIT on days 8 and 36. A total of 6 maintenance courses are administered, alternating maintenance 1 and 2. Arm II: Induction 2: Patients receive oral mercaptopurine daily on days 1-7 and 15-21, cyclophosphamide IV over 30 minutes on days 1 and 15, and intrathecal methotrexate on days 1, 8, 15, and 22. Patients then receive cranial radiation daily on days 4-12. Induction 1 is repeated, then patients proceed to consolidation after blood counts have recovered sufficiently. Consolidation: Patients receive cyclophosphamide IV over 30 minutes on days 1-15, vincristine IV on days 1 and 15, oral mercaptopurine daily on days 1-7 and 15-21, and cytarabine subcutaneously every 12 hours for 6 doses on days 1-3 and 15-17. Patients proceed to maintenance when blood counts recover sufficiently. Maintenance: Same as maintenance 1 in arm I, excluding TIT. A total of 6 courses are administered. All patients are followed monthly for the first 6 months, then every other month for the next 6 months, every 3 months for the next 2 years, every 6 months for the next 5 years, and then annually thereafter.